Vehicle-spring



F. BUMINGHAUS.

VEHICLE SPRING.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3, 1920.

Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

Fig.1.

Invewtcr Fra n z [56 m i 7 B j At orncqs UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANZ Bommermtrs, or ESSEN, GERMANY, assrenoa TO FRIED. xnnrr AK'IIEN- GESELLSCHLAFT, 0F ESSEN-ON-THE-RUHR, GERMANY.

VEHICLE-SPRING;

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

Application filed September 3, 1920. Serial No. 408,095.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANZ BtiMINGHAUs, residing at Essen, Germany, a citizen ofthe German Republi have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Vehicle- Springs (for which I have filed an application in Germany, Jan. 22,1919). of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vehicle suspensions of the type in which the springs are caused to act on a pivotally arranged limb ri idly attached to the axle and the object oi the invention is to provide a suspenslon of this type, which enables a vehicle, which is not elastically supported to be subseuently provided in a simple manner with e astically supported axle limbs.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show the invention applied to a gun carriage.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the parts of the gun carriage pertaining to this invention the front wheel having been removed,

Fig. 2 is a corresponding plan view, partially in section, with the front wheel in place,

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fi 1, I Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4: 1 of *ig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 and Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 1.

The two original limbs of the hollow wheel axle B, which is rigidly attached in the well known manner to the body A. of the gun carriage (see Figs. 1 and 3) are cut oil. On each end of the still remaining central part of the wheel axle is fixed a bearing piece C, which has two arms 0 (see particularly Figs. 2 and 3) at right angles to the axis of wheel axle B. In these arms is pivotally mounted an axle limb D constructed in the form of a crank, on the pin d of which the gun carriage wheel E turns. Between an arm D which is attached to the axle limb D but which does not rotate relatively thereto, and an arm 0 mounted on the bearing piece 0 (see Figs. 1 and 2) is interposed vertically an initially compressed helical spring F (see Fig. 1), and which spring F bears at one end against an abutcarrying a gun carriage, coincide with the geometrical axis of the wheel axle B. When the vehicle is in motion, the limbs D of the axle swing in the arms 0 so that shocks are absorbed by the springs The particular distinguishing feature of the arrangement described is, that the suspension can be applied in a simple manner and without any further alteration of the vehicle to vehicles not originally provided with springs by using the central part of the existing rigid wheel axle and that the masses, which are not elastically supported (2'. e. the wheels and the two limbs D of the axle) are comparatively small.

When the gun is being fired, it is desirable to dispense with the elastic suspension and to be able to support the body A of the gun carriage rigidly with respect to the wheels E. For this purpose the following arrange ment has been devised. Each of the limbs D of the axle is provided with a cylindrical slot uh facing the wheel axle B (see Figs. 2 and 3) into which a bolt G or H guided on the wheelaxle can be pushed (see particularly Fig. 3), which bolt Gr slides in a sleeve 6 mounted on the wheel axle B (see also Fig. 5). It consists of one piece with a rack 9 which is guided on ribs 6 (see Figs. 3 to 5) 011 the sleeve 6 The bolt H, which is carried by a sleeve 5 fixed on the wheel axle B is mounted on a bar H arranged in the hollow part of the wheel axle (see Fig. 3) and its other end is constructed in the form of a rack If, and which rack k is guided on ribs I) opposite the ribs 6 on the sleeve Z2 (see also Fig. 4). .VVith the two racks g, h gears a toothed wheel K (see Figs. 3 to 5), the shaft 71: of which is at right angles to the axis of the wheel axle B (see Figs. 4 and 5) and is mounted in a sleeve 0 screwed to the bearing piece C. A hand lever k mounted on the shaft .2 carries a pawl 76 of the usual kind, which embraces it and which is intended to engage with two slots 0 pro- (see Figs. 1 and 6) for the.

videdin the sleeve and situated diametrically op osite each other and thereby lock the hand lever k in two positions. When the bolts G, Hare not engaged in the slots (1, the limbsD of the axle can swing in the arms 0 and the springs F come into action.

If the suspension is :to be dispensed with the toothed wheel K is rotated by the handle is through an angle of 180 in the direction Claims:

' 1.' Ina vehicle suspension mechanism,the

combination with an axle of a limb or extension thereof, a bearin ,piece in which said limb is mounted para lel to and eccentrically of the axle but with its pin substantially coaxial with the axle, and a spring arranged to take up relative motion between the limb and axle. 2. In a construction such as described in claim 1, the bearing piece carrying an abutment for said spring.

3. In a construction such as set forth in claim 1, the limb and axle having engaging locking membersto prevent relative movement.

4. In a construction such as set forth in claim 3,'the limb having sockets and the axle having manually operated oppositely acting bolts to engage said sockets.

The foregoingl specification si ed at Essen, Germany, t is 27th day of ay, 1920.

FRANZ BOMINGHAUS.

In presence of- I-Lms Go'rrsmzm, Josnr OLOERTZ. 

